Ipswich (h) Forwarding/resale now
Brighton (a) SOLD OUT
Chelsea (h) Ballot closed
Arsenal (a) ST sale now, 40pts
Everton (h) Ballot opens Mon 28.04, Noon

U21s:
Spot kick sickener 

Arsenal U21s  2  Newcastle U21s  1

Newcastle U21s exited from the PL2 playoffs on Friday at the last 16 stage, conceding their second penalty kick of the game in the final seconds of normal time.

Playing at the Meadow Park home of National League side Boreham Wood where they'd lost 1-4 to Arsenal earlier this year, United trailed by one goal at the interval.

That was a 25th minute penalty conversion by Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, following Cathal Heffernan's illegal challenge in the box on Andre Harriman-Annous.

The visitors appealed for a spot kick of their own in the closing minutes of the opening half, but to no avail. 

The Magpies did level within a minute of the restart, Scott Bailey's long-range free kick catching goalkeeper Tommy Setford unawares.

And they twice came close to going ahead on the hour; Sean Neave denied and Ben Parkinson narrowly off target.

Jay Turner-Cooke's 84th minute free kick from distance was then tipped away by Setford at the expense of a corner.

With extra time and spot kicks looming, the Gunners were awarded their second penalty of the evening after visiting substitute Rory Powell caught Charles Sagoe Junior.

With Butler-Oyedji off the field, Khayon Edwards beat Aidan Harris in the third minute of added time, sending his side through to a quarter final against Manchester City and ending Newcastle's competitive season at this level.

Team: Harris, Shahar, Charlton (R.Powell 64), Bailey, Heffernan, Thompson, Parkinson, Munda, Neave (Donaldson 90+1), Turner-Cooke (Sanusi 90+4), Kuol. 
Subs n/u: J.Taylor, Al.Harrison. 

Booked: Heffernan, Bailey, Charlton, Turner-Cooke, Parkinson.

AFC: Setford, Rosiak, Washington, Clarke, Sweet, Henry-Francis, Kabia, Gower, Harriman-Annous, S.Oulad M'Hand, Butler-Oyedeji (Sagoe Jr 73). 
Subs n/u: Ismail, Porter, Copley, Edwards.

Booked: Rosiak, Clarke, Gower

Referee: Harry Wager

Crowd: tbc - free admission

PL2 playoffs:

Fri 25.04.2025:
Arsenal v Newcastle (7pm)
Manchester City v Liverpool (7pm)
Manchester United v Everton (7pm)

Sat 26.04.2025: 
West Ham v mackems (Noon)
Chelsea v Wolves (6pm)

Sun 27.04.2025: 
Southampton v Leicester City (2pm)

Mon 28.04.2025:
Crystal Palace v Brighton (3pm)
Fulham v Nottingham Forest (3pm)

Update:
Howe return: quotes

Eddie Howe was back in the chair on Friday morning for the pre-game media gathering, recounting his recent hospitalisation and diagnosis with pneumonia:

"I'm not 100% in my body but I'd like to think I'm close to 100% in my mind, which is the important thing.

"It's been difficult. I try to take a positive from every experience but this has been a real challenge."

"The Leicester game I felt awful I planned to come back to training ahead of Man United. I had a shower and was getting ready to go and something was telling me 'no'. That was the moment things changed.

"I was pleased to be told to go to hospital. That was the right place for me. It was a bit of a relief to get that care in that moment."

"The last few weeks has been a real challenge.

"When you get to where I was you see life through different eyes. It’s important not to forget how you saw things in that moment. None of us know how long we are going to be on the planet for.

"I’ve learned not to take for granted what I do here on a daily basis. It was a relief to be told I needed to go to hospital, because I instinctively knew I was in the right place. I pretty much crawled in.

“My take away is I need to give myself a bit more care and love if I can, and give more thought to what I’m doing.

"The care I received from the NHS was first class.

"A big thank you to Charlotte Milne and all her staff who looked after me. The care and love I felt from them. The well wishes I received from everyone - I really do appreciate it.

"I have to say it brings a sharper focus on what is important in your life. My family and friends looked after me in this period. It brings clarity. You can't take things for granted.

"You take your health for granted when you're feeling good: when you're suddenly faced with health issues, it's difficult to deal with - when you're in a job that demands you're there physically and mentally every day.

"I felt really bad - and didn't know how bad.

"I'm like most men, you probably think you're going to be okay in a few days. I was very thankful that the doctor here, Paul Catterson, acted really quickly."

"I felt, from watching the two games, that the atmosphere was incredible - I'm just delighted to be back.

"I'd like to think I would act differently if feeling that way again. I do think it's important as there's a temptation to think you can fight through anything.

"When I felt well enough, the laptop was straight back out. I was watching Ipswich Town straight away!

"I made a conscious decision, when I felt I didn't feel well enough to focus on the football, to give Jason (Tindall) and all the coaches the full responsibility.

"For me, you're either all in or all out, and I couldn't contribute, so I said to Jason right at the start. It's over to you and and didn't he do well?

"I thought he was absolutely brilliant with Graeme (Jones), Simon (Weatherstone) and Stephen (Purches) and all the coaches and the players. I thought they were absolutely magnificent.

"I was able to watch all of the games. For the first two, I wasn't really there mentally, but I was really proud and so lifted by the performance or performances.

"That's of course a very similar experience to the one I had against Brentford in my very first game (missing due to COVID), not one that I particularly enjoyed, but yeah a big thank you to everybody for what they did."

Update:
Ramble on

Evolving from a fortnightly show in 2007 to the current daily offering, the Football Ramble Podcast is going out on the road for live performances, calling at the Tyne Theatre in Newcastle on Saturday May 10th.

Tickets for that are available online here now and episodes of what was voted Podcast of the Year by the Football Supporters Association are online here

We have pairs of tickets to the Newcastle show to give away and simply require you to email your answer to this question to [email protected] subject line Ramble. 

The Football Ramble's maiden broadcast in March 2007 coincided with Newcastle's PL defeat at a Charlton Athletic side managed by which future Magpie boss?

Closing date 6pm on Thursday May 1st. Over 18s only please, one entry per person. Prize consists of tickets only, any other costs incurred are excluded.

2024/25:
Ipswich Town (h)

United's final Saturday 3pm kick-off of the season sees them host an Ipswich side whose relegation from the Premier League will be confirmed if they fail to win - although results elsewhere could end their top-flight stay regardless of the outcome at Gallowgate.

Newcastle come into this game fifth in the table, after victories for Nottingham Forest and Manchester City. 

Three points against Ipswich on Saturday would restore the Magpies to third place, Forest, City and Aston Villa all engaged on FA Cup duty this weekend.

Team: Lewis Hall and Jamaal Lascelles remain out, but Eddie Howe confirmed that Sven Botman was set to rejoin the squad after missing the last 12 games.

Fabian Schar is expected to play despite a hamstring concern the prompted his withdrawal during last Saturday's loss at Villa.

Coral rate this game as follows:

NUFC win 2/9
The draw 11/2
ITFC win 11/1

New customers receive a £20 bet when staking £5 (T's & C's apply). Find those markets online here 

ITFC: Sammy Szmodics, Kalvin Phillips, Arijanet Muric, Omari Giraud-Hutchinson, Jaden Philogene, Chiedozie Ogbene and Wesley Burns are all unavailable. Conor Townsend and Nathan Broadhead are both doubtful.

Ipswich will be without Leif Davis after the Toon-supporting defender was red-carded during Sunday's 0-4 home reverse at the hands of Arsenal.

Kieran McKenna's side have won three times on the road this season in the Premier League - at Spurs, Wolves and Bournemouth. They've managed five away draws, taking points from visits to Brighton, Southampton, Fulham, Aston Villa and Chelsea.

Town's only away clean sheet away from home came in the 0-0 draw at Brighton back in September. 

Top scorer Liam Delap has hit 12 of the 32 PL goals his side have scored so far this season.

Referee: Michael Salisbury - second Newcastle game of the season for the Lancashire official, following last months' 1-0 PL success at West Ham.

VAR: James Bell

UK TV: None

Carabao Cup:
Book winners

In production by Lower Block is "Toon Army 2025" a photographic record of Newcastle fans during the Carabao Cup Final victory at Wembley, brilliantly capturing the range of emotions on view that day.

The limited edition softcover publication has over 70 photos across 60 pages and costs £8.50 plus postage. 

They can be pre-ordered now online here

We had two copies to give away and asked who apart from Miguel Almiron received a Carabao Cup winner's medal despite having left Newcastle before the Final.

It was Lloyd Kelly and the names of the two winning entrants will appear here later on Thursday.

Toon tunes:
CD giveaway winners

Thanks to everyone who entered our competition to win the new album by Tyneside singer-songwriter Andrew Cushin - "Love is For Everyone", out on May 2nd.

The 25 year-old Tynesider follows up his 2023 debut with a second collection of self-penned tunes, with copies heading off to:

Rich Harle
Johnny Herbert

Card wallet CDs of "Love is..." can be pre-ordered now here for just £5, including a bonus unreleased track.

Premier League:
Red & White rose day 

Both automatic promotion spots in the Championship were confirmed on Monday; a 6-0 win by Leeds United over Stoke City and a 2-1 victory for Burnley against Sheffield United meaning that Premier League football returns to Elland Road and Turf Moor in 2025/26.

With two games to play, the two promoted sides are level on points, although Daniel Farkes Whites enjoy a far superior goal difference to Scott Parker's Clarets.

Sheffield United and the mackems will contest the playoffs, along with two from Bristol City, Coventry City, Boro, Millwall and Blackburn Rovers. 

West Bromwich Albion retain a mathematical chance of doing so, but don't rate their own chances of that, dismissing manager Tony Mowbray on Monday. 

Ipswich Town are set to join Southampton and Leicester City in dropping out of the top flight, while Everton are now mathematically safe - meaning that Bramley Moor Dock will become the 61st ground to stage PL games. 

Premier League:
Unhappy birthday

Aston Villa  4  Newcastle  1

Match report

Premier League:
Brighton (a)

United's penultimate Premier League away game of the season takes them to Sussex on Sunday May 4th for a 2pm kick-off at the Amex Stadium live on Sky Sports.

All 3,000 away tickets are sold out, with forwarding available from 2pm on Thursday May 1st until 9am on matchday.

This will be Newcastle's eighth attempt at winning a PL fixture at this venue, having drawn four and lost the other three of their previous seven visits.

Their sole victory in 10 league and cup visits to the Amex came during the 2016/17 Championship season.

The Seagulls are bidding for a winning treble against Newcastle this season, following 1-0 PL and 2-1 FA Cup victories on Tyneside.

Team: To follow

BHAFC: Striker Joao Pedro is set to be suspended following a straight red card against Brentford.

Ahead of our visit, Albion host West Ham this coming Saturday looking to end a winless run of five PL games.

Referee: tbc

VAR: tbc

UK TV: Live on Sky Sports

2023/24 lost 1-3 Wilson (PL)
2022/23 drew 0-0 (PL)
2021/22 drew 1-1 Hayden (PL)
2020/21 lost 0-3 (PL)
2019/20 drew 0-0 (PL)
2018/19 drew 1-1 Perez (PL)
2017/18 lost 0-1 (PL)
2016/17 won 2-1 Diame, Perez (Ch)
2012/13 lost 0-2 (FAC)
2011/12 lost 0-1 (FAC)
1991/92 drew 2-2 G.Peacock, Kelly (D2)
1990/91 lost 2-4 Quinn, Brock (D2)
1989/90 won 3-0 Quinn 3 (D2)
1983/84 won 1-0 Waddle (D2)
1982/83 drew 1-1 McDermott (FAC)
1978/79 lost 0-2 (D2)
1961/62 won 4-0 Allchurch, Thomas, Kerray, Suddick (D2)

(At the Goldstone Ground until 1991/92 then Amex)

Upcoming PL fixtures:

Thu 01.05.2025:
Nottingham Forest v Brentford (7.30pm) Sky

Fri 02.05.2025:
Manchester City v Wolves (8pm) Sky

Sat 03.05.2025:
Aston Villa v Fulham (12.30pm) TNT
Everton v Ipswich Town (3pm)
Leicester City v Southampton (3pm)
Arsenal v Bournemouth (5.30pm) Sky

Sun 04.05.2025:
Brentford v Manchester United (2pm)
Brighton & Hove Albion v Newcastle (2pm) Sky
West Ham v Spurs (2pm)
Chelsea v Liverpool (4.30pm) Sky

Mon 05.05.2025:
Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forest (8pm) Sky

Internationals:
Montaigu update

England U16s completed their participation at the Montagu Tournament in France on Monday, winning a playoff tie to finish seventh out of the eight teams.

Newcastle's George Mair and Sam Alabi were in the squad, goalkeeper George starting a 3-2 win over Japan on Tuesday and a 1-3 loss to Portugal on Saturday.

Midfielder Sam meanwhile was named in the line-up for Thursday's 0-3 defeat by Mexico (we're unsure if he came off the bench in either of the other games).

Finishing bottom of their group, England then beat local side Selection Vendee 3-1 on Monday - team lineups tbc.

New album release May 2nd - pre-order on
CD and download for just £5 online here